Israel-Hamas struggle: Egypt agrees on Gaza assist by way of Kerem Shalom

US President Joe Biden and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi have reached an agreement on aid delivery to Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing, Cairo says.

The plan is for Egypt to hand over humanitarian aid and fuel to the United Nations at the crossing temporarily until there is a legal mechanism to reach and reopen the Rafah crossing from the Palestinian side.

In a phone call, Biden and al-Sissi also affirmed their rejection of all attempts to displace Palestinians from their land, and their support for all means to prevent the aggravation and expansion of the conflict.

The crossing agreement aims to reverse a dramatic drop in UN aid entering the Gaza Strip since Israel launched its Rafah offensive on May 6. The closure of the Rafah crossing has created a backlog of aid in Egypt, where some of the food supplies have begun to rot.

It remains unclear whether the plan could work. UN officials have said they are largely unable to reach the Kerem Shalom crossing because of fighting in the area.

The two leaders have also agreed on the need to intensify efforts until negotiations succeed and achieve a breakthrough to end the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, a statement from Sissi’s presidency said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says aid to the Gaza Strip has become extremely limited, with fewer than 1,000 truckloads of assistance entering the enclave since the operation began. Israel claims that the city is the last true bastion of Hamas.

Since Israeli forces closed the Rafah crossing at the start of the month, Egypt has indicated it will not coordinate aid transports there until the Israeli forces withdraw. 

Egyptian sources said there was ongoing communication with Israel about delivering aid through Kerem Shalom, beginning within overnight into Saturday.

Israel closed Kerem Shalom earlier this month after Hamas launched a rocket attack on the crossing and Israeli settlements.